Last Modified: Saturday, January 19, 2013 at 1:42 a.m.

"I just felt a little unfulfilled," Polk City Mayor Joe LaCascia told The Ledger on Friday about this week's two-day trip to Washington, D.C., to lobby on behalf of new gun control laws. "I think I would have been happier if I talked to one of the principals so I could have an exchange of ideas, pro or con."

Mayors Against Illegal Guns, an advocacy group created in 2006 by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, invited LaCascia to join a group of about 50 U.S. mayors, including four from Florida, to lobby representatives and senators (the principals LaCascia spoke of) on gun law reforms.

LaCascia; Michael Ryan, mayor of Sunrise; and Linda Vaughn, a city of Orlando employee representing Mayor Buddy Dyer, were scheduled to meet with U.S. Reps. Steve Southerland II, R-Panama City, and Sens. Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio to discuss the group's proposals.

None was in town that day, but LaCascia and his group met with aides who dealt with gun issues.

"It used to be, when I was in business, I would want to talk to the person who made the decision," said LaCascia, who owned an insurance firm in New York City before selling it and retiring to Florida. "If I couldn't, I would leave. Bye-bye."

The mayors' group advocates three positions in the current gun debate: a mandatory background check on all gun transactions, even between private buyers and sellers; a ban on military-style assault weapons; and making ownership of high-capacity ammunition clips illegal for private citizens.

A Republican, LaCascia described himself as a gun owner, a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association and a staunch supporter of the Second Amendment. But he said he supported the three goals, which many members of his own party and the NRA oppose.

"That's the problem I have with the NRA. They defend indefensible positions, and it drives me crazy," LaCascia said.

All three positions are part of President Barack Obama's legislative program.

Nelson has also come out in favor of the three goals, but the aides representing Southerland and Rubio were respectful but non-committal, LaCascia said.

A Rubio aide told the LaCascia group it would be tough for the senator to support the measures because "his people have a basic distrust of government," the mayor said.

LaCascia expressed the most optimism over passage of universal background checks for gun transactions. It would exempt gifts among immediate family members and passing on guns through inheritance.

The proposal calls for federally licensed gun stores to undertake the background checks for a private transaction at a minimal cost, such as $15 per check.

Jay Corzine, a sociology professor at the University of Central Florida, gave that proposal an 80 percent chance of passing because last month's Connecticut school shootings have changed the politics of gun laws overnight.

"What it comes down to is 20 dead first-graders," Corzine said. "Right now the odds are tilted in the favor of tighter gun restrictions."

Corzine gave some kind of restriction of high-capacity ammunition clips a 60 percent chance of passing Congress but only 40 percent for the assault weapons ban. Many states, including Maryland, New Jersey and Connecticut, are talking about enacting similar restrictions.

Although the fee for background checks on private gun sales would appear to offer gun dealers additional revenue, Alex Wold, manager of The Gunshed in Lakeland, said he couldn't support it because the proposed $15 fee would do no more than cover the store's cost and would open it to additional liability.

Wold also expressed skepticism that grass-roots efforts such as the mayors group's would succeed.

"This has been a controversy for 300 years," Wold said. "It's just that the volume has been amped up."

Corzine agreed the effectiveness of Mayors Against Illegal Guns remains untested because there has been no significant federal debate on gun laws since its formation. But events could play in its favor.

"One or two more mass shootings in this country would really tilt the playing field toward gun reform," he said.

<p>POLK CITY | Like his Hollywood counterpart Mr. Smith, Mr. LaCascia went to Washington and came back disillusioned.</p><p>Unlike movie star Jimmy Stewart, LaCascia's sojourn there offered little drama.</p><p>"I just felt a little unfulfilled," Polk City Mayor Joe LaCascia told The Ledger on Friday about this week's two-day trip to Washington, D.C., to lobby on behalf of new gun control laws. "I think I would have been happier if I talked to one of the principals so I could have an exchange of ideas, pro or con."</p><p>Mayors Against Illegal Guns, an advocacy group created in 2006 by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, invited LaCascia to join a group of about 50 U.S. mayors, including four from Florida, to lobby representatives and senators (the principals LaCascia spoke of) on gun law reforms.</p><p>LaCascia; Michael Ryan, mayor of Sunrise; and Linda Vaughn, a city of Orlando employee representing Mayor Buddy Dyer, were scheduled to meet with U.S. Reps. Steve Southerland II, R-Panama City, and Sens. Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio to discuss the group's proposals.</p><p>None was in town that day, but LaCascia and his group met with aides who dealt with gun issues.</p><p>"It used to be, when I was in business, I would want to talk to the person who made the decision," said LaCascia, who owned an insurance firm in New York City before selling it and retiring to Florida. "If I couldn't, I would leave. Bye-bye."</p><p>The mayors' group advocates three positions in the current gun debate: a mandatory background check on all gun transactions, even between private buyers and sellers; a ban on military-style assault weapons; and making ownership of high-capacity ammunition clips illegal for private citizens.</p><p>A Republican, LaCascia described himself as a gun owner, a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association and a staunch supporter of the Second Amendment. But he said he supported the three goals, which many members of his own party and the NRA oppose.</p><p>"That's the problem I have with the NRA. They defend indefensible positions, and it drives me crazy," LaCascia said.</p><p>All three positions are part of President Barack Obama's legislative program.</p><p>Nelson has also come out in favor of the three goals, but the aides representing Southerland and Rubio were respectful but non-committal, LaCascia said.</p><p>A Rubio aide told the LaCascia group it would be tough for the senator to support the measures because "his people have a basic distrust of government," the mayor said.</p><p>LaCascia expressed the most optimism over passage of universal background checks for gun transactions. It would exempt gifts among immediate family members and passing on guns through inheritance.</p><p>The proposal calls for federally licensed gun stores to undertake the background checks for a private transaction at a minimal cost, such as $15 per check.</p><p>Jay Corzine, a sociology professor at the University of Central Florida, gave that proposal an 80 percent chance of passing because last month's Connecticut school shootings have changed the politics of gun laws overnight.</p><p>"What it comes down to is 20 dead first-graders," Corzine said. "Right now the odds are tilted in the favor of tighter gun restrictions."</p><p>Corzine gave some kind of restriction of high-capacity ammunition clips a 60 percent chance of passing Congress but only 40 percent for the assault weapons ban. Many states, including Maryland, New Jersey and Connecticut, are talking about enacting similar restrictions.</p><p>Although the fee for background checks on private gun sales would appear to offer gun dealers additional revenue, Alex Wold, manager of The Gunshed in Lakeland, said he couldn't support it because the proposed $15 fee would do no more than cover the store's cost and would open it to additional liability.</p><p>Wold also expressed skepticism that grass-roots efforts such as the mayors group's would succeed.</p><p>"This has been a controversy for 300 years," Wold said. "It's just that the volume has been amped up."</p><p>Corzine agreed the effectiveness of Mayors Against Illegal Guns remains untested because there has been no significant federal debate on gun laws since its formation. But events could play in its favor.</p><p>"One or two more mass shootings in this country would really tilt the playing field toward gun reform," he said.</p>